RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 953
TO BE ANSWERED ON AUGUST 21, 2012
Shortage of drinking water in North Karnataka

953. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

Will the Minister of DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government is aware of the acute shortage of drinking water in North Karnataka due to drought conditions for the last three years; and

(b) if so, the special measures initiated by Government to provide drinking water in the drought affected areas of the State and for provisioning of Central Funds to the State to overcome this problem?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) The Ministry had written to all State Governments, including Karnataka, on 27 June, 2012 informing them about the forecast by India Meteorological Department (IMD) and advising them to take steps for preparedness and response in order to tackle drought like situations that may develop during South-West monsoon 2012. The States were requested to prepare Contingency Plans and implement them to tackle the situation.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries and Minister of Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation along with a team of Central officials visited Karnataka on 2nd August 2012 to review the drought situation including scarcity of drinking water. The State Government of Karnataka has declared 142 taluks in 24 districts in the State as drought affected with scarcity of drinking water due to the deficient monsoon. In all 988 habitations in these areas are being supplied with drinking water through water tankers.

The Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation on 10.7.2012 released an amount of Rs. 12 crore from the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) calamity component to Karnataka. In addition, the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGOM) on Drought approved on 31.7.2012 proposals for the release of an additional Rs. 12 crore to Karnataka from the NRDWP Calamity component and the release of the balance of full 1st installment of NRDWP funds for the year 2012-13 amounting to Rs. 71.35 crore to Karnataka. These amounts have since been released to the State. The State had opening balance of Rs. 213.14 crore as on 1.4.2012 and has so far been released Rs. 313.53 crore under (NRDWP) in 2012-13. A proposal for release of Rs. 286.82 crore, being the second installment of NRDWP allocation for 2012-13, is pending consideration of EGOM.

The availability of the funds to the State as mentioned above shall facilitate it in tackling the drinking water problems in the drought affected areas.